


His Girl, Always

by Loulou26



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Anger, F/M, Hurt, Injured Felicity, reconnecting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-09-01
Packaged: 2018-03-25 15:54:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3816262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loulou26/pseuds/Loulou26
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Oliver returns to Starling City, intent on killing Nyssa, Felicity and her team must find a way to reach him. But can she bring back the man she loved, or is he lost to her forever?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set after the events of 3x20, my take on a little scenario for 3x21.

“Felicity? What are you doing down here?” Thea asked, standing at the foot of the stairs in the Foundry. The place was completely trashed, thanks to Captain Lance and his officers, and Felicity was standing in the middle of the room, staring at the damage.

“I need to fix this place up.”

Thea stepped towards her, and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She tensed slightly, but didn’t pull away. “I was worried, you weren’t answering your phone. John told me to look here.”

Felicity turned to face her, a half smile on her face. “I just want to get things back to normal around here.”

Since their return from Nanda Parbat three weeks ago, Felicity had been by Thea’s side constantly. The effects of the Lazarus Pit weren’t gone, not by a long stretch. It came and went. Some days were better than others, but Thea was ashamed to admit that she’d taken some of that out on Felicity. But not once did Felicity walk away. She’d stayed with her, comforted her, and helped her readjust. And as a result, she’d grown closer to her.

But there was a lot that Felicity wasn’t telling her, and it was worrying. Thea missed Oliver fiercely, but she had a feeling that it was nothing compared to what Felicity was going through. Something had changed between them three weeks ago, something strong enough to cause Felicity to seek solace in Thea’s company. As if she were her only remaining link to the man she loved.

“Why don’t we go back to my place, get a few dvds and veg out?”

Felicity inhaled sharply, as if something caused her great pain, but then it was gone and she was forcing a smile. “Thanks, Thea but I think I’m just going to work in here for a little while.”

“Felicity-“

“Thea, really I’m fine.”

“I wish that were true.” Thea sighed, rubbing Felicity’s upper arm. “I know why you’ve been taking care of me.”

Felicity’s eyes shot to Thea’s. “Oh?”

“It’s Ollie, isn’t it? He wanted you to.”

Felicity pressed her lips together, but a fine sheen of tears appeared in her eyes. “Yes. But I needed to, for me. And because I care about you too.”

She tilted her head and gave her a sympathetic smile. “Why do you want to fix this place up so badly?”

Felicity’s eyes wandered around the Foundry, and landed on the dummy, that used to hold Oliver’s Arrow suit. “Because…we still have a city to protect.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

A loud clash filled the air as two swords connected so hard that sparks flew. In the training grounds of Nanda Parbat, Ra’s lunged forward, sword aimed at Oliver’s torso, but he anticipated it and used the older man’s momentum against him. Tumbling forward, Ra’s came to a stop and smiled.

“You’ve learned much Al Sahim. Three weeks ago you would not have dared that move.”

“I’m a fast learner.”

Ra’s nodded, proud of his heir. “There is a problem we must address.”

Oliver placed his sword back into its holder and stood up straight, eyes locked on Ra’s. “What kind of problem?”

The Demon’s Head studied him, looking for any sign of weakness. “There is a rival who claims to be heir.”

“What is it that you wish me to do?”

“You must eliminate this threat immediately.”

Oliver’s stoic expression didn’t change. There was no surprise, no shock at being asked to take a life. Nothing but a blank stare. “Where?”

Ra’s narrowed his eyes. “Starling City.”

Again, no change. Confident that he now had his heir exactly where he wanted him, Ra’s smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. “This is who you were meant to be. This is your destiny.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Felicity grunted as she heaved the metal dummy back into place, standing in the centre of the glass case. The only thing missing now was…the Arrow suit. She squeezed her eyes shut against the wave of pain that assaulted her. She had to be strong, she had to survive this. Oliver wanted her to be happy.

But how could she be happy when half of her heart was in Nanda Parbat? How could she pretend that she was okay when she had no idea what he was going through? What they were doing to him. She’d thought it might get easier with time. But each day, when she woke up, when she remembered, a new pain found its way into her heart.

Footsteps clanging down the metal stairs snapped her out of her thoughts, and she moved back over to her computer station. It was still a mess, but at least it was up and running.

“Felicity.” Laurel stormed into the room, coming to a stop next to her chair. “I need your help.”

She kept her focus on her screens. “With what?”

“Nyssa’s in trouble.”

Felicity scoffed. “I’m pretty sure that an ex-League of Assassins member can take care of herself just fine.”

“Not this time.”

Finally, Felicity turned and looked up at Laurel. She could see the concern in her eyes, thought she wasn’t sure Nyssa deserved it. Felicity hated anything concerning the League, now more than ever.

“I’m sure that the daughter of Ra’s Al Ghul is capable of defending herself.”

Laurel frowned. “That’s just it, Felicity. Ra’s  _is_  the threat.”

“What do you mean?”

Laurel took her time answering, avoiding Felicity’s gaze, which made her suspicious. “Laurel? Tell me.”

“It’s Oliver.”

The mention of his name hurt her heart. “What…what are you talking about?”

“He’s on his way to Starling.”

Felicity stood up slowly, the blood draining from her face as bitterness seeped into her voice. “No, he’s not. He’s in Nanda Parbat, becoming the next Ra’s.”

Laurel pressed her lips together as another voice spoke from behind her. “It’s true. My father has given him an order to kill me.”

“What is  _she_  doing here?” Felicity asked, her tone low and menacing.

“I knew Laurel would come to you for help. I did not ask her to, however. I can deal with Al Sahim.”

“Don’t say that name. Not in here and  _never_   to me. He is still Oliver.”

“Very well.” Nyssa took a step closer and stared down at Felicity. “But know this. Oliver Queen is dead. All that remains now is the man that my father is shaping him into. There is nothing left of the man you love. For that, I am truly sorry.”

Felicity clenched her fists, her fingers digging hard into her palms. “Get. Out.”

Nyssa narrowed her eyes, the order clearly not sitting well with her, but Felicity couldn’t care less. “I said get out!”

Pursing her lips, as if to stop herself from saying something, Nyssa simply nodded and headed back towards the stairs.

Laurel reached out to touch Felicity’s shoulder, but she shrugged her off. “ _If_  Oliver is coming back here, we’ll deal with it in our  _own_  way. Okay?”

Laurel nodded, an unspoken agreement arising between the two women. “Okay.”

 

**_To Be Continued..._ **


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity comes face to face with Oliver, but the reunion is far from happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare yourselves, this chapter is going to hurt :P

**__ **

Felicity sank back into her chair, rubbing her tired eyes. She’d been staring at the screens for so long that she was sure, at one point, the text started wavering. It was late, she knew she should go home and get some sleep, but she couldn’t. Her mind wouldn’t shut off, wouldn’t stop conjuring images of Oliver. The sadness in his eyes was the last thing she’d seen before she’d walked away from him, and she was afraid that it would be that way forever.

“You need sleep, Felicity.” She mumbled to herself.

Her phone buzzed next to her on the desk, startling her. It was a text from Thea, asking if she was going home or spending the night at her place. She’d spent many nights at the loft since returning from Nanda Parbat, but she always slept on the sofa. It hurt too much to even think about sleeping in his bed.

But she had to take care of Thea. Not only for Oliver, but for herself too. She’d grown to really care about the young woman and they actually had more in common than either of them realised. It hadn’t been easy; there were days when Thea barely recognised Felicity, days when the darker side would emerge. But Thea had a good heart, like her brother, and Felicity knew that she would come out of this okay. Maybe even stronger for it.

Closing her eyes, she moved her head from side to side, trying to work the kink out of her neck. It had been three days since Laurel had come to her for help, but nothing had happened. There was no sign of Oliver in Starling City. Right now, Felicity wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

What she was sure of, however, was that she needed to get out of the Foundry and get some fresh air before she gave in to her exhaustion. As she moved the cursor over to shut the computer down, an alert popped up on the screen. The big, red letters practically screamed at her. MATCH FOUND. On one side of the screen, Oliver’s mugshot stared back at her. On the other was a grainy image captured from a security camera downtown.

She clutched the edge of her desk in an iron grip. Was it really him? Was he back? With a renewed energy, Felicity’s fingers flew across her keyboard, as she set about enhancing the image. When she was finished, she felt as if all the air had left her lungs. It was definitely him.

Oliver Queen was back in Starling City.

~~~~~~~~~~

This was a stupid idea, Felicity thought, as she opened the door that led to the roof. She should’ve called Diggle, or Laurel. Back-up of some kind would’ve been a good plan. But no, as soon as she’d seen the confirmation that Oliver was back, she tore out of the Foundry, jumped into her car, and raced to find him. The tracer on her phone led her here, to an apartment building deep in the heart of the Glades.

She stepped out onto the roof, wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the cold. Disappointment hit when she discovered that it was empty. There was nothing here except a couple of pigeons.

“Oliver?” She called out, eyes darting around, scanning the shadows around her. “Are you here?”

A second later, she let out a yelp as a strong hand wrapped itself around her throat. He didn’t squeeze, but it was clear that he could if he wanted to. It didn’t scare her, well not completely. She knew deep down that Oliver would never hurt her.

“Where is Nyssa?” His voice, almost a growl, made her shiver.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned around, his hand dropping as she did so. A hundred different thoughts went through her mind as she laid eyes on him for the first time in three and a half weeks. Oliver stood before her, in his League of Assassins uniform, staring right at her.

The suit was scary enough on its own, but what truly terrified her, was the expression on his face. Or rather, the complete lack of one.

“Oliver-“

“Where is she?” He demanded, cutting her off. There was no recognition, no sign that he even knew who she was. And it hurt more than she’d thought possible.

“Oliver, please…it’s me. It’s Felicity.”

“I won’t ask again.” Well, he obviously knew enough to know that she was connected to Nyssa.  But any sign of the love he had for her was gone.

She tried to swallow the lump that had risen in her throat, and failed. What had Ra’s done to him? “Oliver, you need to listen to me, I can help you.”

“My name is Al Sahim.” He spoke calmly, his tone dark and menacing. “Heir to the Demon.”

Anger sparked deep inside her at the name. “No! You are Oliver Queen. Robert and Moira’s son. Thea’s older brother. You are the man that I am in love with!”

Her yelling had no impact. He didn’t move, didn’t speak. The tiny light that Oliver always had in his eyes, whenever he looked at her, was no longer there. It hit her like a punch to the stomach and she had to take a step away from him.

“What the hell did he do to you, Oliver?” She murmured, eyes scanning his face. “I know you’re still in there somewhere.”

He advanced on her, the black hood creating a shadow on his face that was frightening. “Give Nyssa a message. Tell her, I will find her. I won’t leave until I do.”

Felicity gasped as he walked around her, heading towards the edge of the roof. Tears stung her eyes as she pressed a hand to her chest. “Oliver!”

“Do not look for me again.” He turned his head slightly, but didn't look at her. “Oliver Queen is dead.”

Then without another word, he raised his bow, shot out an arrow, and disappeared into the night. She launched herself forward, coming to a stop at the wall on the edge. He was gone. Her breath came in short gasps, as she sank down to her knees. She didn’t even feel the gravel digging into her skin.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Where were you?” Diggle demanded as she arrived back at the Foundry, hours later. “I’ve been calling you.”

“I was…” She frowned, unable to form the words. “I was, um I…”

Diggle reached out to grasp her arms. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Her eyes closed so tightly that she could see patterns behind her lids. Oh, it hurt so much. She thought she’d known pain when she’d left him in that horrible place. But this…there was no trace of the man she loved, no recognition in his eyes for her. It made the pain of leaving him pale in comparison, and for a moment, she feared that it actually might kill her.

“I saw Oliver.”

Diggle’s hands tensed on her arms. “He’s back? And you went after him alone?”

She couldn’t stop the sob that escaped her; it was all too much to hold in any longer. Diggle wrapped his arms around her, drawing her into his warmth as he rubbed gentle circles on her back.

“He’s gone. Oliver isn’t…Oliver anymore.” She cried.

“He has to be, Felicity. I refuse to believe that he’s not still in there somewhere.”

The crack in Diggle’s voice only made her feel worse. She clung to him, hands fisting in his leather jacket. “I _saw_ him, John. He didn’t even recognise me.”

Diggle kissed her forehead and gently eased her away enough to look into her eyes. “Listen to me, Felicity. Whatever Ra’s has done to him, Oliver is still in there. We have to hang on to that.”

“He’s after Nyssa. He’s going to kill her.” She shook her head and sniffled. “He doesn’t even feel any remorse.”

“Then we need to make him feel it. We need to find a way to get through to him.”

She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. “How? How are we supposed to fight this? How can we possibly fight _him_?”

As a wave of fresh tears ran down her face, Diggle pulled her back into a hug. “I don’t know. But we’ll find a way, I promise.”

 

_**To Be Continued...** _


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Team devises a plan. But things rapidly change course.

**_ Chapter Three _ **

“So that’s it? Oliver’s just…gone?” Laurel asked as she, Diggle and Felicity stood in the Foundry. It was still a mess, but she no longer cared. Her mind could only concentrate on one thing. Oliver.

Felicity felt Diggle’s hand squeeze her shoulder and she was grateful for the support. “I don’t know. All I know is, the person that I saw on that roof? That was not _my_ Oliver.”

Tears welled in her eyes as she remembered the feel of his hand around her throat. He could so easily have snapped her neck. But he didn’t. And she had to believe that he didn’t because there was still something of Oliver inside.

“So what now?” Diggle asked.

Felicity blew out a breath and walked back over to her computers. “Well, Oliver wants Nyssa. Right now, I’m a little scared of what he might do to get to her.”

Laurel narrowed her eyes, her body language becoming hostile. “You’re not seriously suggesting that we hand her over.”

Felicity rolled her eyes. “Of course not, Laurel. But do you really want the League running around the city, tearing it apart looking for her?”

Laurel at least had the good sense to look mortified at the thought. “But that doesn’t mean that we should just let Oliver kill her either.”

Felicity sighed tiredly, removing her glasses as she pinched the bridge of her nose. For the past three weeks, she’d barely slept, and it was starting to catch up to her. “I know. We need to come up with some sort of plan.”

She turned back to face her friends. “We need to strike first. We need to find Oliver.”

“To do what? Save him? Or stop him?” Laurel asked.

Felicity lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. “Both.”

“You really believe he can be saved?”

Felicity closed her eyes, the image of his cold, emotionless face clear in her mind. “I don’t know. But I _know_ that we have to try. It’s _Oliver_.”

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

As far as plans went, it was a fairly good one. Felicity just hoped that it was good enough. She crouched down behind a heating vent on the roof of one the city’s tallest buildings, Diggle on one side, Laurel on the other.

“Felicity, are you sure about this?” Diggle asked quietly, keeping his eyes on Nyssa as she stood at the edge of the roof.

“No. But this is our only option right now.”

Nyssa’s head whipped up suddenly, and Felicity knew it was time. Before she could even draw a breath, two League members landed on the roof, barely making a sound.

“Oliver.” She whispered, her eyes zeroing in on the one edging closer to Nyssa.

“Nyssa!” He yelled, his voice so much darker than his usual ‘Arrow’ voice. “I’m here to bring you back to Nanda Parbat.”

Nyssa turned slowly, as if she had all the time in the world. “To face justice? If so, for what crime? To face vengeance? If so, for what offense?”

“You once told me, vengeance _is_ justice.”

Something in the way he said those words had Felicity on alert. If he truly didn’t remember anything, how could he remember what she’d once told him? She didn’t know why, but that tiny sentence gave her hope. Maybe, just maybe, he was still in there.

“You bested me once in battle.” Nyssa said. “That won’t happen again.”

As fast as lightening, Nyssa drew an arrow from behind her and shot it. Oliver dodged it easily, and fired back with his own bow.

Nyssa deflected each arrow with her sword, but when Oliver threw something to the ground, creating a smoke screen, Nyssa lost her edge. He flung her to the ground, and she landed at the edge of the roof. Felicity lunged forward, but Diggle clamped down hard on her shoulder, his head tipping toward the other League member. He was just standing there, watching the scene unfold, unaware that they were even there.

When Oliver leaned over Nyssa, sword to her throat, Felicity knew it was time to step in. Moving as one, Diggle and Laurel stood up and she unleashed her Canary Cry, disorienting Oliver and the other member for a moment. When he turned around to see who it was, Felicity felt the breath leave her body in a rush.

The coldness in his eyes stunned her yet again. He didn’t recognise Diggle or Laurel.

Diggle raised his gun, aiming it at Oliver. “We can’t let you hurt her, man.”

Oliver’s eyes narrowed as he took a step towards them. Then he stopped and nodded at his associate, who immediately nocked an arrow, taking Diggle’s gun out in less than a second.

Laurel leapt into action, disarming the other member as fast as she could, just as Nyssa back flipped back onto her feet behind Oliver. Diggle quickly drew another gun from the back of his waist and pointed it at Oliver.

“Don’t make me do this, Oliver.” He said, his tone practically begging, and Felicity knew how hard this was for him. She knew because it was killing her.

“I am Al Sahim! Oliver Queen is dead.”

“If that’s true, you know I will have no problem putting a bullet in you.”

Tension rippled through the air as Diggle and Oliver stared each other down, and Felicity knew that she couldn’t stay hidden for much longer. She stood up and walked into Oliver’s line of sight. He glanced at her, but there was no recognition, he was simply calculating if she was another threat.

“Hold!” Oliver yelled, and his colleague immediately ceased his attack on Laurel. Felicity kneeled down and helped her to her feet, but she kept her eyes on Oliver, who was moving closer to Diggle.

“Oliver!” She yelled as loud as she possibly could, succeeding in drawing his attention. “Stop this! You know Diggle; he’s your friend. Your brother!”

He stopped moving, lowering his sword for only a second, but in that small action, Felicity felt a surge of adrenalin. “Oliver, please listen to me. I need you to _hear_ me.”

As she spoke, she slowly moved closer, aware that the other member was watching. Her fingers closed around the dart in her pocket as she came face to face with the man she loved.

“Oliver…” She whispered, reaching out a trembling hand to touch his face. He didn’t move away, or stop her, but his eyes were like ice as he stared down at her.

“I love you.”

She wouldn’t have seen it if she hadn’t been so close to him, but his nostrils flared a little as he sucked in a breath. It was almost the same as the moment she’d first said those three words in Nanda Parbat.

Closing her eyes, she seized the opportunity. As fast as she could, she drew her hand out of her pocket and lunged. Just as the dart hit his chest, she felt a blinding pain in her right side, all the way through her torso.

“No!” Diggle rushed forward, catching her as she fell backwards.

Using the distraction to his advantage, Oliver turned and ran towards Nyssa. He crashed into her, sending them both flying off the edge of the roof, with the other League member closely following.

Felicity glanced down at her side. At the arrow, sticking out of it and her breathing grew faster. “Digg?”

“I’m here, Felicity. You’re going to be okay.” He quickly put pressure on her wound around the arrow, making her cry out.

“You’re gonna be fine, you hear me? Just stay with me.”

She wished his voice didn’t sound so panicked; it made it really hard to believe him. “Oliver…”

“He didn’t do this, Felicity.” Laurel said, kneeling on the ground next to her. She knew that was what Felicity needed to hear. “It was the other guy. I’m so sorry; I wasn’t fast enough to stop him.”

Felicity’s vision was starting to blur. “Not your fault.”

“Laurel, call an ambulance.” Diggle said, and Felicity could see how scared he was as he tended to her wound.

Fighting against the pain, Felicity reached into her jacket and pulled out a device. Pushing it into Diggle’s hand, she gasped. “Tracker. I got…Oliver.”

Her eyes felt heavy, the pain starting to become unbearable. She clutched at her chest as she coughed, and blood trickled down her chin. Diggle’s eyes widened, though he tried his best to hide it.

Summoning her last remaining strength, Felicity held his hand and squeezed. “Get him back, John.”

“Felicity, don’t you dare. You stay awake!”

She knew he was yelling, pressing harder on her side to wake her up. But she couldn’t fight it anymore, she was so tired. So cold.

The last thing Felicity saw before the darkness swallowed her was their faces contorted in fear.

_**To Be Continued...** _


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of the rooftop battle, Thea is devastated. Meanwhile, Diggle confronts Oliver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for being so patient. I'm sorry for the long wait. But hopefully this chapter will make up for it :D

Thea came to a screeching halt outside the I.C.U, breathing hard and fast as she saw Laurel standing outside a room. She was completely still, her face void of emotion as she stared off into space. Thea’s gut churned, Laurel’s frantic voice telling her to get to the hospital still rang loud in her ears.

“Laurel! What happened?”

The older woman’s eyes snapped to hers, haunted by something Thea couldn’t place.

“Where’s Felicity?”

“She’s in there.” Laurel nodded to the closed door opposite her. “There’s something you need to know, Thea.”

Laurel sat down on a row of chairs lining the corridor, pulling on Thea’s hand to follow. Once she was seated, she drew in a deep breath, as if preparing herself for something. “We saw… Oliver.”

Thea’s breath caught in her throat. “He’s back? What happened?”

“He’s not… himself right now. He doesn’t remember us, he’s different.”

A horrible feeling washed over Thea. “Laurel, what happened to Felicity?”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I didn’t see it, Thea. The arrow came out of nowhere.”

“No,” Thea gasped. “Laurel… did Ollie do this to her?”

She couldn’t imagine a world where even an amnesiac Oliver could or would do that to Felicity. “No, he would never-“

“He didn’t. It was another League member. I fought him but he was strong. He shot Felicity before I even knew that he’d drawn his bow. I should’ve stopped him.”

Thea rubbed Laurel’s arm automatically, but her mind was racing with the implications. “How bad?”

Laurel sniffled. “She’s uh… the arrow pierced a lung, she lost a lot of blood. She’s…”

Thea resisted the urge to shake her as she trailed off, knowing that she was clearly upset, but needing answers. “Laurel!”

Laurel snapped her gaze to hers. “She’s in a coma. The doctors said that they fixed most of the damage in surgery. But they aren’t sure when, or if, she’s going to wake up.”

Thea slumped back in her chair, all the air leaving her lungs at once. _No, Felicity can’t die. Ollie needs her._ _I need her._ This couldn’t be happening. Her brother was back in the city, apparently having lost his memory, Laurel was a mess, and Felicity… she might not even make it. Everything felt like it was crumbling around her.

“Where’s uh, where’s Digg?” Thea said, trying to get her voice to work.

Laurel shook her head. “He went to track Oliver down.”

Thea frowned. “I don’t understand, if Ollie doesn’t remember anything, how is-“

Laurel’s eyes landed on the door to Felicity’s room, and Thea realised that the haunted look in her eyes was guilt. “Malcolm told us that Ra’s used some kind of mind altering drug on Ollie to brainwash him. The same one that you were dosed with.”

Thea swallowed thickly, the familiar pain and guilt assaulting her at the memory of finding out she’d been responsible for Sara’s death. How Laurel didn’t hate her right now, or want revenge, was beyond her.

“We formulated a plan. Well, it was mostly Felicity’s plan. She got close enough to Oliver to inject him with an antidote and place a tracker on him. But I don’t know if it actually worked because as soon as she hit him with the needle, she went down.”

“What was she thinking?” Thea growled, knowing how devastated her brother would be if he were here right now.

“She was right, Thea. Felicity was the only person able to get close enough to him. He may not remember us, but something deep inside him listened to Felicity tonight. If only for a split second. I just hope it was long enough.”

Thea closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. “I can’t believe this is happening. Can we see her?”

Laurel shook her head. “No, right now they say only family.”

“It’s not looking good is it?”

Laurel placed an arm around her shoulders, hugging her into her side. “Felicity’s strong. She’ll survive.”

“And what if she doesn’t?”

“Then not only do we lose Felicity, we’ll lose Oliver forever, too.”

* * *

 

Diggle paused and looked down at tracking device that Felicity gave him earlier that night. After forcing himself to leave the hospital, he’d tracked Oliver down to a warehouse outside the city. The only problem was, he was alone, and there were about five League members with him.

Locating the correct warehouse wasn’t too difficult; the League weren’t exactly subtle with their torches burning brightly in the night. Although he supposed that no one would disturb them way out here. But getting to Oliver wasn’t going to be easy. He had to try, for Felicity. He’d promised her that he’d find him.

It had taken everything in him to walk away from her in that hospital. Deep down, he knew that she might not survive. He’d seen enough injuries in his time to know that it was bad. But he couldn’t allow himself to believe that. Felicity was like his little sister, he couldn’t lose her.

Choking back a sob, he moved closer to peer through a nearby window. Inside, more torches burned, a few League members stood around Nyssa, who was tied to a chair. But there was no sign of Oliver anywhere. Something sharp pressed against the side of his neck, halting his movements.

“Don’t move.” Oliver’s voice growled next to him.

“Oliver, listen to me-“

The tip of the arrow pressed harder into his skin, and he felt a trickle of blood run down his neck. “If you move, if you speak, you _will_ die.”

Diggle closed his eyes for a second, regret washing over him. Regret and guilt. Their plan had failed, Oliver didn’t remember anything. Felicity’s sacrifice had been for nothing. No, he couldn’t let that happen, he had to do something.

Slowly, he raised his hands in a sign of surrender, hoping that would be enough to get Oliver to lower his weapon. It was. Oliver backed away, but kept his arrow aimed at Diggle.

“Oliver, you have to listen to me, it’s important!”

Diggle saw something flash in Oliver’s eyes. Recognition, maybe? He hoped so. He had no idea how long the antidote would take to work, but if Felicity had managed to get enough in his system, it shouldn’t take much longer. He had to stall him somehow.

Oliver nodded towards the entrance to the warehouse. “Move.”

“Oliver, I know you’re in there. Ra’s has been drugging you. He used the same stuff that Malcolm used on Thea. He’s controlling you, man! Don’t let him. Fight it!”

Oliver blinked, but stood his ground. “I said move!”

“This isn’t you. You have to fight, Oliver. Felicity needs you!”

Oliver paused, his bow lowering as his face contorted in pain. Diggle waited, silently urging Oliver to beat this. “Come on, man.”

Oliver pressed his fist into his forehead and groaned. “What… Diggle?”

“I’m here.”

When he looked up, Diggle could see the battle waging in his eyes. It was Al Sahim vs Oliver Queen. His friend, his brother was still there, still fighting. Lunging forward, Oliver grabbed the collar of his jacket and threw him against the wall.

He stayed still, refusing to act as Oliver raised a fist. It connected with the wall just to the right of his head.

“Diggle…”

Diggle placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing hard. “Oliver, she _needs_ you to come back.”

They stood there for what felt like hours, but after a few minutes, Oliver’s eyes slowly started to clear. The haze faded and Diggle could finally see his friend staring back. He was in pain, but he was here.

Oliver’s gaze latched on to the blood on Diggle’s shirt, making him tighten his grip on him. “Where is she?”

“Starling General.”

“What happened? I don’t… I can’t remember.”

“We met on a rooftop a few hours ago. It didn’t end well. Felicity dosed you with the antidote, but…”

“But what?”

“Your _associate_ shot her with an arrow.”

Diggle had never been afraid of Oliver, but right now, as the anger twisted his features into something barely recognisable, he felt apprehensive. This time, Oliver’s fist connected with his jaw, knocking him back so hard that his head hit the wall behind him.

“You’re lying!” Oliver spat, raising his arm again. “Tell me you’re lying!” Diggle deflected it this time, using his own momentum against him as he pushed his chest. When he was far enough away, he lashed out, punching him hard enough to knock him to the ground. But Oliver wasn’t done; he swept out a leg, knocking Diggle’s from underneath him, sending him crashing to his back.

With the wind knocked out of him, Diggle tried to sit up, but Oliver was on him almost immediately. He knew that Oliver was fighting himself more than him right now, and any other day, he would give him the time. But he had to find a way to get through to him. “Oliver, stop!”

“Felicity-“

“Is dying!” Diggle yelled.

Oliver shook his head, stumbling back onto the ground. “No, she’s not. She can’t be.”

“The arrow pierced her lung, and she needed surgery. The doctors repaired most of it but…”

“What?”

“She fell into a coma, man. They don’t know if she’ll wake up. I’m sorry.”

The pain Diggle felt at saying those words out loud was nothing compared to the agony written all over Oliver’s face. He looked as though his whole world had just been ripped away from him, and as he sat there in the mud, he looked so… drained.

“She was supposed to be safe.” he whispered to himself more than Diggle. “I did all this to keep you and her safe. I had to save Thea.”

“She knows that, Oliver. We both do. But she needs you now more than ever. If she doesn’t make it, and you don’t go to see her, you’ll never forgive yourself.”

Narrowed, pained eyes flew to his. “I will never forgive myself anyway. Why was she even on that roof?”

“It was her idea, she knew the only way to get you back was to inject you with an antidote. She also knew that even if you didn’t remember any of us, she was the only one who would be able to get close enough to use it.”

“If she dies, Digg…” Oliver sucked in a sharp breath. “No, she’s not going to die. She’s _not_.”

“What about the Lazarus Pit? It saved Thea, maybe it can heal Felicity.”

“No, there’s no way Ra’s would…” he trailed off, his eyes widening as the cogs started turning in his brain.

“What is it?”

Oliver jumped to his feet, the anger radiating off him in waves. “Ra’s. He planned this; he knew I was coming back here. This was all some sort of test of my loyalty. He promised to leave you all alone if I joined the League.”

Diggle folded his arms over his chest. “Sounds like honour is something he only likes to talk about.”

“I’m going to kill him. I have to.”

An odd feeling settled in Diggle’s chest as he took in his friend’s murderous expression. “You’re not coming back with me, are you?”

Oliver turned his back on him. “There’s nothing I can do for her there. I have to end this, once and for all.”

“Oliver, don’t do this.”

He paused at the doorway of the warehouse. “Felicity asked me once… to kill him. I failed, and now she’s lying in a coma. I won’t fail her again. Ra’s Al Ghul has to die.”

 

_**To Be Continued...** _


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver finally confronts Ra's Al Ghul, with a little help.

**__ **

The room was cold and dark, the only light coming from a tiny light above her bed. Oliver stood at the end, staring down at the pattern the shadows created across the blanket covering her. He couldn’t bring himself to look at her. Not yet. Instead, he listened to the constant beeping of the heart monitor, reassuring himself that she was still alive.

A shuddering sigh escaped him as he moved to stare out of the windows. The city’s lights burned brightly, a stark contrast to the darkness surrounding him. Flexing his fingers, he looked down at his clothes. He’d removed his armour before coming here because it had felt wrong to bring that part of his life anywhere near her.

Diggle’s words echoed in his mind, still a little foggy from what Ra’s had done to him. His friend had been right; he’d needed to come here. So he’d waited until everyone else had left, and snuck inside. Turning slowly, he finally allowed himself to look at her.

No amount of preparation could’ve stopped the sheer agony he felt as soon as his eyes landed on Felicity’s face. She was so pale that it was frightening to witness; her normally vibrant skin now an ashy grey colour. It was just so… wrong.

He took a step towards the bed, his gaze roaming over her entire body, cataloguing every little detail. Pressing his lips together, Oliver squeezed his eyes shut, as if doing so could erase what he was seeing. His mind’s eye conjured up an image of her smiling, laughing at something Diggle had said. The beauty of that image made his heart stutter in his chest.

When he opened his eyes, reality crashed down on him. A slow, steady hissing sound came from the machine that was breathing for her, keeping her alive. It hit him so hard and so fast that he fell to his knees beside the bed, his hands fisting in the blanket as he choked back a sob.

 _Felicity_.

It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t right. This should never have happened, not to her. The only light in his life was slowly dimming before his eyes, and he was powerless to stop it. Because as much as Oliver wanted to believe that she was strong, that she would make it out of this, his heart knew the truth. _I’m losing her_.

Raising his head, he looked at her face, still so beautiful and peaceful. “I’m so sorry, Felicity.”

A single tear ran down his cheek, he didn’t even feel it, or the rest that followed. He reached out to grasp her hand and gasped when he felt how cold she was. Instead of focusing on exactly what that coldness meant, Oliver busied himself by searching for another blanket. When he found one, he draped it over her carefully, gently, as if she was merely asleep and he didn’t want to disturb her.

Taking her hand in both of his, he raised it to his lips. “Felicity…”

He looked up at the ceiling, blinking fast to dispel the tears. “I’m so sorry. This happened because of me, and I will spend the rest of my days knowing that. But…”

He reached out to smooth a hand down her blonde hair. “Please, Felicity. You just have to hold on for a little longer. Just… a little longer. I need you to get through this. I don’t care what the doctors say, I _need_ you to live.”

A fresh wave of pain crashed in, and an ice-cold grip of fear wrapped itself around his heart. There was no way he would survive if she died. “Please don’t leave me.”

He stayed like that for almost an hour, on his knees by her bed, her hand clasped tightly in both of his. With each passing moment, his anger and grief grew, until all he could see was Ra’s. All he could hear was her voice, begging him to kill him. He’d failed her then; he would not do so now.

Ra’s Al Ghul had taken the one person Oliver could never lose, and in doing so, he had signed his own death warrant.

He didn’t want to go, the fear of knowing that this could be the last time he ever saw her alive gnawed at his insides. It was too painful to bear. When he closed his eyes, he saw her smiling. He felt her body pressed against his as they’d made love. How could his heart feel so full, yet be so close to shattering into pieces?

Getting to his feet, Oliver took one last look at the woman who held his heart. Leaning over her, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin as he breathed in her familiar scent.

“I love you, Felicity.”

* * *

 

It took everything he had to transform back into Al Sahim once he’d arrived back at the warehouse. Immediately his eyes had sought out one person. The man who’d accompanied him to retrieve Nyssa. The man who had shot Felicity.

Oliver barely held himself back, white-hot anger coursing through his veins. This man would die for what he did, he was sure of that. But for now, he had to remain calm, or at least appear to be. Al Sahim no longer had any emotional attachments, and if he wanted to see this plan through, he had to remember that.

But it was so hard.

He turned back to the woman sitting in the centre of the room. Bound to her chair, Nyssa glared at him with such hatred.

“Leave us.” Oliver commanded; waiting until the room was empty before speaking again. “Nyssa…“

Her eyes narrowed as she studied him. A smirk appeared. “It appears that Oliver Queen is not as easy to control as my father would like to believe.”

He didn’t bother trying to deny it. “Nyssa, I need your help.”

Her eyebrows rose as she scoffed. “And why would I help you?”

“Because your father has plans for this city. Terrible plans that will cost thousands of innocent people their lives. I know that you hate me; you have every right to. But I know deep down that you are a good person.”

“You know nothing of me, Oliver Queen.”

“I know what Sara told me.” He countered. “She believed in you, she loved you.”

Nyssa’s eyes flashed angrily. “Well Sara is no longer here.”

“You once helped us, to bring down Slade’s men. You protected this city-“

“Only at my beloved’s request.”

Oliver kneeled in front of her, silently begging her to understand. “Don’t you think that she would request that again? To save all these people?”

Again Nyssa’s eyes narrowed, her gaze searching his. “You are in pain.”

He knew exactly what kind of pain she meant. “Yes.”

“Something has happened to _your_ beloved.” It was a statement, not a question, but Oliver nodded anyway.

“My father?”

Oliver cleared his throat but it still felt too tight as he spoke. “He ordered it. Felicity…”

For the briefest of moments, the hatred in Nyssa’s eyes softened. “Miss Smoak did not deserve such a fate. Is she still alive?”

He looked down at the ground, the image of Felicity lying in that bed, machines keeping her alive, burned into his mind. “Barely.”

Nyssa studied him for a moment, as if weighing her decision. After a long pause, she slowly nodded. “We shall return to Nanda Parbat. My father will be easier to surprise there.”

Oliver blew out a relieved sigh. “Thank you, Nyssa.”

“Do not thank me yet, there is much to be done.”

* * *

 

The plan had been simple, and though Oliver and Nyssa had tried to plan for every little thing that could happen, neither of them had seen this coming.

“I would rather die.” Nyssa spat, her lip curling up in disgust.

Standing in front of Ra’s Al Ghul, surrounded by his men, there was no option of escape. Oliver forced his anger down deep, trying hard to hang on to his role as Al Sahim. It was, by far, the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. This man was responsible for so much pain. He’d almost killed Thea, had left her for dead, and now Felicity was fighting for her life.

Ra’s, unaffected by Nyssa’s vitriol, simply smiled. “Your wishes were no longer my concern from the moment you betrayed me.”

He stepped back, glancing from Oliver back to her. “You _will_ marry Al Sahim, and you _will_ become Bride of the Demon.”

Bile rose in Oliver’s throat at the thought of having to follow through with his demand. There was only one woman he could ever think of… could ever dream of marrying. _Felicity_.

“I won’t consent to marry him. You will have to kill me first.”

Ra’s moved around them, heading towards the doorway, pausing for a moment to look back at his daughter. “You seem to think that you have a choice, my dear. You have no more say in this than your mother was given.”

His eyes flicked to Oliver. “Take her to her chamber, make sure that she complies.”

Oliver bowed his head in agreement, waiting until Ra’s and his men were gone before turning to Nyssa. “Now what?”

Nyssa’s eyes flashed with anger. “Now… we fight back.”

* * *

 

Later that evening, Oliver entered the Temple, surprised to find it empty. Since he and Nyssa were due to sit down to dinner with Ra’s in a matter of minutes, he had to be fast. With determination in his step, he made his way over to the pit that held the only thing that could save Felicity. The Lazarus Pit.

He knew the risks, Malcolm had warned him about using it for Thea, but he couldn’t let Felicity die, and there was no other way to save her.

“Your fealty continues to impress me, Al Sahim.” Ra’s spoke from the doorway. Oliver froze, making sure to keep his expression blank as he turned around to face him.

Ra’s walked forward, hands clasped behind his back. “I chose well. Your union with Nyssa will benefit the League for generations to come.”

“I am looking forward to continuing my ascension.”

“Indeed. Yet, I am troubled.”

“By what?”

“I was informed that, during your time in Starling City, you disappeared for a great length of time. Imagine my surprise when I learned that you had visited Miss Smoak in the hospital.”

Oliver closed his eyes for a split second, and then nodded. “Oliver Queen is dead. The Arrow is no more. I was… saying goodbye to her, that’s all.”

Ra’s reached out to clasp his shoulder. “I understand all too well the calling of true love. It’s a powerful emotion. You will carry that love with you always, but it is not your destiny, Al Sahim.”

Anger and loathing formed a pit in his stomach as he nodded his agreement. “But did she really have to die for me to fulfil that destiny?”

“It was necessary. As long as she lives, Oliver Queen will never truly be erased. You understand?”

“I… do.”

As Ra’s continued to speak, Oliver became aware of movement behind him. Light glinted off metal as a sword appeared, but before it could strike, Ra’s whirled around, his hand grabbing the blade as blood trickled down his wrist.

Nyssa struggled to pull the blade back, her eyes blazing with fury at the man she once called Father.

“You disappoint me, my daughter. I spared your life, and this is how you repay me?”

“What life am I to have as the wife of someone I do not love?”

Ra’s grasped her chin, forcing her to look at him. “That is not my concern. You will marry him, and you will bear his children.”

Oliver moved quickly, drawing his sword. This had not been part of their plan. When he’d taken Nyssa back to her chamber earlier, they’d devised a way to slip some of the drug that Ra’s had used on Oliver into his food. But improvisation was key, and this was the opportunity that Oliver had been waiting for.

He lunged forward, his sword aimed directly for the older man’s heart. Ra’s however, saw it coming and easily dodged the attack. He pushed Nyssa away roughly, drawing his own sword as he faced the two of them.

He narrowed his eyes as he studied Oliver. “Power serves you no interest. You’d rather love.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand real love.”

The smirk on his face angered Oliver even more. “Then it’s a pity that your beloved is fading as we speak. And unlike your sister, she will not return.”

That was all Oliver needed to hear, the anger flowing through his veins erupted into a fire that fuelled his hatred. Taking a running leap, Oliver landed only a few inches away, his sword clashing against Ra’s’ when he raised it to defend himself. Pushing forward, Oliver used his strength to force both swords down, allowing him to punch Ra’s in the face as hard as he could.

Ra’s stumbled backwards, a smile on his face. But Oliver could see the surprise in his eyes. He was no longer the man who’d faced the head of the League on that mountain. He was stronger, more agile, and he knew how Ra’s fought now.

Ra’s surged towards him, sword raised, but Oliver knew what was coming. He dropped to a crouch and swept out a leg, not surprised when Ra’s blocked it. He’d been hoping for that, for him to get so distracted that he didn’t see it until it was too late. As Oliver landed a punch to his solar plexus, Nyssa appeared behind her father, raising her foot to kick at the back of his knee. As he started to fall, Oliver brought his sword up, but again, Ra’s blocked it with his own.

Oliver lashed out; kicking Ra’s in the gut, driving all the air out of him, just as Nyssa lunged. From his position on the ground, Oliver saw the moment that her sword penetrated his heart. Blood spurted from his mouth as his breathing became shallow, and even though his eyes were wide, he was still smiling.

Nyssa’s sword clattered to the ground as she caught her father. Lying in her arms, he reached up and stroked her hair. Oliver knew that she didn’t regret her actions, but he could see sadness in her eyes. Taking a life was never easy, and even though her father had abused her, taking his was hard for her to do. She began reciting the same words that Ra’s had spoken to Oliver before he’d kicked him off that cliff so many weeks ago.

“My daughter… I was wrong.” Ra’s gasped, raising his hand to remove his ring. Pressing it into her hand, he closed her fingers around it. “You shall be a great leader.”

Nyssa choked back a sob as his eyes slowly closed, and she bowed her head to place a tender kiss on his forehead. “Farewell, Father.”

Oliver turned and ran towards the Lazarus Pit, snatching up a large glass jar along the way. But when he reached the top step and glanced down, his heart sank. He dropped to his knees, the glass jar shattering on the ground, along with his hopes.

“No.” he whispered, unable to believe what he was seeing. “Where is it?”

The Pit had been his only chance to save Felicity, and now… it was gone.

The Pit was empty. 

_**To Be Continued...** _


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver returns to Starling City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I know that this fic is awfully angsty, and I am grateful to every single one of you that has stuck with me this far. I really do appreciate all the wonderful feedback you've been giving me. That being said, we are reaching the end pretty soon. I think there will be one more chapter after this and then we're done. Thanks for being so patient :D

**__ **

Time stood still, the silence deafening. Oliver stared at the empty pool that once held the water he’d so desperately needed, his eyes seeing nothing but Felicity.

Nyssa appeared behind him, her armour coated in her father’s blood. “Oliver.”

He turned to face her, but he didn’t know what to say. His heart beat painfully in his chest as he took in her sombre expression.

“I am sorry. My father’s plan went further than I’d thought.”

He opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he saw several League members enter the chamber. Defences immediately on alert, he drew his sword and moved to stand next to Nyssa.

“Lower your weapons,” she commanded. Maseo stepped forward, staring briefly at Ra’s’ body before looking back at her.

“Al Sahim defeated Ra’s Al Ghul.”

Nyssa narrowed her eyes. “No, I did. My blade ended his life.”

Oliver saw the shock on everyone’s faces, and couldn’t help feeling a little proud of Nyssa in that moment. She deserved this, this was her true destiny. He watched as she raised the ring, placed it on her middle finger, and then held her hand in the air before them.

“I am your new leader. Now lower your weapons.”

One by one, they all complied. But Maseo still looked confused. He flicked his eyes to Oliver. “I do not understand, you are Warith Al Ghul, Heir to the Demon.”

“Not anymore. That title rightly belongs to Nyssa.”

Nyssa walked right up to Maseo, her face inches from his. “Are we going to have a problem here, Sarab?”

Slowly, he shook his head and lowered his sword. “No, no problem.”

As the men all gracefully fell to their knees, Oliver caught sight of a familiar face. His anger spiked, driving him forward until he hauled the man up by the throat. All at once, their weapons rose again, this time pointing directly at Oliver.

“Stop!” Nyssa’s voice, strong and confident, rang out. “Put your weapons down.”

Oliver squeezed a little harder, choking the man who’d shot Felicity. “I will kill you.”

Nyssa placed a hand on his arm. “Oliver, this is not the way. Think of Felicity.”

“I am thinking of her!”

“She wouldn’t want you to do this. I know that much. He will face justice for what he has done, I promise you that.”

“He deserves to die.”

“Not by your hand. There’s enough blood on them already.”

Oliver stared hard into the man’s eyes, his lips were already turning blue, and he was struggling to gasp for breath. Felicity’s face appeared in his mind, her bubbly smile, and her sparkling eyes. In those eyes, he saw love, respect, and belief. Belief in him. He released his hold abruptly, letting him fall to the floor.

Nyssa nodded and turned to the others. “Take him to a cell. I will deal with him later.”

“And what of Al Sahim?” Maseo asked.

Nyssa looked back at Oliver and smiled. “Al Sahim, you are forthwith stripped of your title. I hereby release you from the League, Oliver Queen.”

Feeling as though a weight had been lifted, Oliver bowed his head in gratitude. He was finally free. Free to return home, to his family, and to Felicity. But his homecoming would be bittersweet. Because as much as he wanted to believe otherwise, he had a sinking feeling that he would be returning to say goodbye.

 

* * *

 

 

“There has to be something you can do.” Thea begged, tears streaming down her face as she and Diggle stood before the doctor. His sympathetic expression cut through her like a knife. She wanted to yell at him, demand that he fix this. But deep down, she knew it would do no good.

“I’m so sorry, Miss Queen. We’ve done all we can do. The rest is up to Miss Smoak. But I think that you should prepare yourselves for the worst. If there are any family members that need to be called, I suggest you do it now.”

Thea pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle the anguished cry, but it didn’t work. In the next second, she found herself wrapped in John’s big arms as the doctor slowly made his way out of the room.

“It’s gonna be okay, Thea.” he whispered.

She shook her head, staring down at Felicity. “No it isn’t. Nothing’s okay about this, Digg. She shouldn’t be here, not like this.”

Diggle’s heartbeat was fast against her ear, and she could hear him struggling to maintain his composure. She realised that as bad as she felt right now, he had to be feeling a whole lot worse. Felicity was like his little sister, seeing her like this was killing him.

“No, she shouldn’t.” Diggle said, pulling back to look down at her. He tried to offer her a comforting smile, but failed. “We can’t change what happened, Thea. As much as I wish that we hadn’t taken her with us to that rooftop, we all knew that she was our only hope of getting through to Oliver. And she did it. All we can do now is… be here for her.”

“Where is he, Digg?”

“I don’t know. But I do know one thing. Where ever he is, I _know_ that he is doing everything in his power to get back here.”

Thea glanced down at Felicity. “All this to kill Ra’s. What if… what if he doesn’t get back in time?”

“He will.” Diggle gently squeezed her shoulder before pulling away and walking to the door. “I’m gonna go get some coffee. You need anything?”

“No, thanks.” As soon as he left, Thea turned back to Felicity and sat down next to her bed. Frowning at the state of her blonde hair, Thea began to gently run her fingers through it, smoothing it out.

“I don’t know what to say here, Felicity. I wish you would just wake up. These past three weeks have been some of the most difficult I’ve ever experienced. I don’t know if… I don’t know if I’m still me. Or if I’ve changed. But you made it easier; you helped me in so many ways. You kept me grounded, and you became… a really good friend.”

She straightened in her seat and started braiding Felicity’s hair. “I wish I’d known you before. I had no idea about you and Oliver. But I see how much you love him. Just please…you gotta hang in there until he gets back.”

“Thea…” She gasped at the sound of his voice. Spinning in her chair, she saw him standing in the open doorway. He was wearing his normal casual clothes, which she thought was a good sign.

“Ollie?”

Standing slowly, she waited for him to enter the room. “Are you… _you_?”

A small smile graced his face as he drew her in for a hug. “I’m me.”

Thea closed her eyes, inhaling her brother’s scent. For weeks, she’d thought she’d never see him again, that she would have to live the rest of her life knowing that he gave up his for her.

“I’m so glad you’re back.”

When she pulled back, he was looking at Felicity. His questioning gaze flew to her, and she shook her head, feeling the tears start to form again. All she could do was watch as the devastation set in, and her brother crumbled right in front of her.

“What happened?” he asked after a long pause, but the crack in his voice got to her more than his expression. “She wasn’t this bad when I…”

“When you what?”

“I came to see her. But she…” He drew in a deep breath and focused on Thea’s face. “What happened?”

“The uh… the arrow did more damage than they’d originally thought. It nicked her heart, in a place that wasn’t easy to see during her first surgery. They took her back to theatre yesterday to repair the damage but…”

As Thea trailed off, unable to form the words, Oliver frowned. “But what?”

“She coded, Ollie. Flat lined three times right on the operating table. Each time it took them longer to get her back.”

Oliver backed away slightly, his posture completely rigid. He was closing himself off, from her, from the pain. Then he spoke the words that she had been dreading, because she had no answer for him.

“She’s not going to make it, is she?”

He sounded so broken, so torn up, and even though she knew her comforting wasn’t enough, it was all she could give him.

“I… honestly don’t know. Diggle called her mom. She’s catching the next available flight out.”

Oliver nodded, lowering himself down into the chair that Thea had vacated. His fingers toyed with the braid in Felicity’s hair. “I didn’t know you two had grown so close.”

“But it’s what you wanted though, right? From the moment we arrived back in Starling, Felicity took care of me. It wasn’t easy for her. I’ve… changed. Half the time, I didn’t even know who I was. But she never gave up on me.”

Oliver let out a pained chuckle. “She’s good at that. I’m glad she was there for you when I couldn’t be.”

“Oliver?” Diggle walked into the room carrying two cups of coffee. “Where the hell have you been, man?”

Oliver stood up to face him. “I had something that I needed to do, you knew that.”

There was a look of disapproval in the older man’s eyes that Thea didn’t understand.

“Ra’s?”

“Dead.”

Diggle’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “You finally killed him?”

“No, Nyssa.” As if all his energy had suddenly drained right out of him, Oliver slumped back down into his seat, his hand automatically seeking out Felicity’s. “Nyssa killed her father. She’s the new leader of the League.”

“Ollie…” Concerned by his blank expression, Thea crouched down next to his chair, her hand resting on his forearm. “What about the Lazarus Pit? I know from experience that it’s not ideal, but it can save Felicity.”

He looked into her eyes and whispered. “It’s gone, Thea.”

“What?” Diggle spat. “What do you mean, it’s gone?”

“Exactly what I said, Digg! It’s gone. Ra’s planned it all. He ordered the attack on Felicity; he knew that I would try to save her using the Pit so he drained it.”

“But… why?” Thea asked, confused. “You already gave yourself over to the League, why hurt Felicity now?”

“It was a test. Because she was the only thing still keeping him from really becoming Al Sahim.” Diggle supplied, understanding dawning on his face.

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Oliver replied, rubbing his forehead. “None of it matters. Everything I did, I did it to keep you all safe. I still failed.”

“Don’t say that, Ollie, you didn’t fail anyone.”

His red-rimmed eyes squeezed shut. “I failed _her_. Now I have to sit here and watch her die.”

The tears ran down Thea’s face, she didn’t try to stop them. Her heart hurt, pain for Felicity, and pain for her brother. Seeing the evidence of his love for this woman, Thea wondered if he could even come back from something like this.

How had it all gone so wrong?

 

* * *

 

 

For the next two days Oliver stayed by her bed, talking to her, reading her stories. He brushed her hair; he made sure that she was warm enough. Yet none of it did anything to ease the knot of fear that tightened his gut. How was he supposed to do this? To just sit here and watch her like this? It was torture in its purest form, and he would gladly go through the trials Ra’s had put him through again, if it would only bring her back. But no, he was forced to endure.

Getting up, he scrubbed his face roughly and walked over to open a window. As a cool breeze hit his face, reenergising him for a few moments, he realised that he hadn’t slept since he’d returned to Starling. Diggle, Thea, and even Felicity’s mother had all tried to get him to go home and sleep. He’d refused. If this was the last of the time he had with her, he refused to miss a single moment.

“The sun’s out today,” he said, unsure of whether he was speaking to her, or just trying to fill the silence. “Still cold out, though.”

Turning back towards the bed, he stopped in his tracks when he saw a figure, dressed in black, standing in the doorway.

“What are you doing here?” Ignoring her presence, he sat back down next to Felicity. “I have no business with the League anymore.”

Nyssa, who looked oddly at home in her casual sweatshirt and jeans, stepped into the room. “I am here to help, Oliver.”

He scoffed, focusing his attention on tucking the blanket around Felicity a little tighter. “How?”

Nyssa didn’t reply. She simply reached out and placed a small glass jar on the table next to the bed.

“Is that…?” For the first time in so long, Oliver felt a frisson of hope shoot down his spine. “But it’s gone. I thought…”

“The Pit is gone. Forever.” Nyssa touched the jar, the liquid inside clearer than any Oliver had ever seen before. “I discovered this, in the deepest part of the well, in a small pocket formed in the earth. This is all that remains of the water.”

Oliver narrowed his eyes, suspicious. “And you’re just giving it to her? Even though it’s the last of it?”

“I am.”

“Why?”

Nyssa paused for a moment, and Oliver had to hold himself back when she reached out a hand to brush Felicity’s hair. He didn’t want her anywhere near her.

“Felicity is a good person. She’s strong and brave. She cared deeply for Sara, and I know that if she were here, she would want me to do this.” She raised her gaze to meet Oliver’s. “I do not wish to see her perish by my father’s hand.”

He couldn’t believe his ears, still too afraid to hope. “Nyssa-“

She held up a hand. “Do not thank me, Oliver. I am doing this for her, and for Sara, not you.”

Oliver watched as Nyssa drew a syringe out of her sleeve. He didn’t ask, but she’d obviously stolen it on her way in. She took the lid off the jar and filled the syringe, then injected it into Felicity’s IV line.

“I don’t know if this will be enough to save her. Her injuries may be too extensive. It will take some time to work… if it does at all.”

When the jar was empty, Oliver leaned over and placed his hand over Nyssa’s. “Thank you.”

She stared at him for a moment, and then bowed her head. “Take care of her, Oliver.”

When Nyssa finally left, Oliver perched himself carefully on the edge of the bed, Felicity’s hand clasped tightly in both of his. The hope he’d been holding back, blossomed to life, bringing with it a blinding clarity.

If this worked, he would spend the rest of his life showing Felicity just how much she meant to him. No more running away, no more pain.

Raising her hand to his lips, he sent up a silent prayer.

“Come on, Felicity. Fight. Come back to me.”

 

_**To Be Continued...** _


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So here it is guys, the final chapter. I'd like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to everyone that has read, commented and supported me through this fic. You're all awesome and I love you all! So thank you and I really hope you enjoy the last chapter :D

**__ **

“Oliver?” A soft voice spoke above him, a hand gently nudging his shoulder. Slowly he opened one eye, then the other, blinking rapidly against the harsh lighting of the hospital room. He looked up into the face of Donna Smoak, Felicity’s mother.

“You look as tired as I feel,” she said. “Why don’t you go home and get some rest.”

Straightening in his seat, he shook his head. “I’m not leaving her.”

Donna sighed, as if she knew that would be his answer. “It’s been five days, Oliver. You’ve hardly slept, and I know you haven’t really eaten much. You’re clearly exhausted.”

“Ms Smoak-“

“Donna, please.” Oliver glanced at her as she took a seat on the other side of the bed. “I think you being in love with my daughter means that we can at least be on a first name basis. Don’t you think?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but snapped it shut again. What could he say? There was no denying it at this point. For the past week, he hadn’t left her side, except to do the most basic of things. He wanted to stay close, too afraid to leave in case she woke up. She _would_ wake up, he was sure of it. It had been three days since Nyssa had visited. The Lazarus water was working, slowly, but it was working.

The doctors were baffled, they had no idea how her heart had suddenly repaired itself, or how her wound had almost healed. Yet she remained unconscious, and that was what concerned Oliver the most.

Releasing a slow breath, he leaned forward in his chair, his eyes drinking in the sight of her. “She has more colour today.”

Donna nodded, but kept her eyes on him, and he could practically feel her gaze burning into his skin.

“She loves you too, you know.”

Oliver swallowed, hearing Felicity’s voice saying those three words all those weeks ago. He could still see the expression on her face, the raw hope that maybe if she told him, he would find a way to leave Nanda Parbat and go with her.

The fact that she’d drugged him and tried to sneak him out only made his love for her stronger. He had vowed to himself in that moment, to fight as hard as he could to come back to her.

Donna reached across the bed and covered his hand with hers. “I don’t know what happened between you two, but I do know one thing. My baby deserves a good man, and I think that she found him. Whatever it is that’s holding you both back, let it go. For both of your sakes.”

“It’s… complicated.”

She smiled sadly at him. “Love is always complicated, Oliver. It’s not meant to be simple or easy. If it was, it wouldn’t be worth fighting for.”

Oliver sighed softly as he entwined his fingers with Felicity’s. “I would do anything for her, Donna.”

“Except take care of yourself, apparently.”

He frowned at her. “I’m-“

Donna squeezed his hand, cutting him off. “I know. But sitting here like this, waiting… it’s not taking care of you. You look awful, Oliver. Felicity wouldn’t want this from you. Go, take a shower, have something to eat. Sleep. She’ll be here when you get back.”

“I can’t leave her. I’m scared…”

Donna pulled her hand away and sat back in her chair. “I’ll be here. But I… I need some time with her too, you know?”

Oliver felt awful at the expression on Donna’s face. She was right, he realised. Felicity was her daughter, and he’d been sitting beside her almost the entire time that she’d been there.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be. I want you here too. But I can’t sit and watch you do this to yourself either. I promise you will be the first person I call if she wakes up.”

Fighting against every instinct within him, Oliver nodded and stood up. Hesitantly, he leaned over the bed, brushing his lips across Felicity’s forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”

* * *

 

When Diggle opened his apartment door, the last person he’d expected to see, was Oliver. “Hey man. What are you doing here?”

He looked terrible, Diggle thought. His eyes were bloodshot with dark, purple circles underneath. His normally short stubble was longer, and his hair looked like he’d been dragged through a bush backwards.

“I didn’t know where else to go.”

Diggle opened the door wider, gesturing for him to come inside. “I was just about to head to the hospital. Any news?”

Oliver shook his head as he sat down on the sofa, his head falling back against the soft cushions.

“Who’s with her now?”

“Her mom. I didn’t want to leave but apparently I need to take care of myself.”

“She’s right. You look like crap.”

“Thanks.” Oliver deadpanned.

Diggle shrugged and headed over to the kitchen to grab a couple of beers. Handing one to Oliver, he sat down in the chair opposite. “So how is she?”

It took a while for him to answer. His eyes glazed over as he studied his beer bottle, his fingers distractedly tearing the label off. “Better, I think. The doctors can’t explain it but… she’s doing better. I just wish she’d wake up already.”

“She will. Give it time, man. Felicity isn’t ready to leave us just yet.”

“How do you do it, John?”

Diggle frowned as he took a pull from his bottle. “Do what?”

“Fight crime at night, put yourself in danger, and have a happy family at home. How do you live with the fact that anything could happen to them?”

Well, that was a lot to answer in one go, he thought. Diggle took another mouthful of beer, considering where best to start. “I found out Lyla was pregnant during one of the worst attacks on this city. Of course, I was worried, we were standing in the middle of A.R.G.U.S with guns trained on us, all I wanted to do was put myself between her and those guns. But I didn’t, you know why?”

Oliver shook his head.

“Because Lyla is tough. Just like Felicity. They’re not going to stand around and wait for things to be dealt with; they’re on the frontline dealing with it themselves. I spend every moment of my day worrying that something could happen to them, Oliver. But at the end of the day, I come home and I see my baby, and I see my wife, and they’re safe. They’re happy. That’s all that matters.”

Leaning his elbows on his knees, Diggle interlaced his fingers around the beer and continued. “But fighting crime, keeping the city safe? That’s something that you and I are hard-wired to do. It’s in our blood. Lyla understands that better than most. So does Felicity.”

Oliver scrubbed a hand down his face, and Diggle could see that the longer he sat there, the heavier his eyelids grew.

“She’s so strong, Oliver. More than you know. It took real courage for her to face you on that rooftop. Seeing you like that was killing her, but she knew that somehow, she had to get you back.”

“At the cost of her own life.” he growled. “I would rather still be in Nanda Parbat than have her lying in that bed.”

“Do you think that you’re the only one allowed to make sacrifices for the ones you love? Felicity _loves_ you, Oliver. You’re a part of her, as much as I know that she is a part of you. You belong together.”

Oliver nodded, his expression pensive. “I just… I don’t know.”

“I understand the worry, but spending every second being convinced that something will happen? That’s not living, man.”

Oliver closed his eyes. “When I saw Felicity in the hospital, I made a promise to her and to myself. I promised that no matter what happened with Ra’s, I would find a way to get back to her. And all the mistakes I made before, I would find a way to make them right.”

 _Progress, at last_. Diggle smiled and placed his empty bottle on the coffee table in front of him. “Sounds like you finally chose to live.”

Oliver lips tilted up into a half smile, but it was tinged with sadness. “I’m choosing _her_ , Digg.”

“About time. Listen, why don’t you try to get some sleep here? You look like you’re about to drop, and I have some things to take care of, so you won’t be disturbed.”

Oliver’s eyes barely opened as he nodded. “Thank you.”

“No problem.”

“No, I mean thanks for being here for her when I couldn’t.”

Diggle pursed his lips, swallowing the pain of seeing one of his best friends almost die in his arms. That image would stay with him for a long time. “Felicity’s important to me too, Oliver. We all love her.”

As he drifted off to sleep, he mumbled. “I love her too.”

* * *

 

Felicity finally opened her eyes while Oliver was on his way back to the hospital. He’d slept for two hours on Diggle’s sofa, and after a quick shower and bite to eat, he felt much more awake. As he rushed through the hallways back to her room, he cursed himself for not being there the second she woke up.

He’d almost crashed the car when Donna had called to give him the news, and then he’d broken every speed limit possible to get back to the hospital in record time.

Now, standing in the doorway of Felicity’s room, he hesitated. Propped up to a half-sitting position, she still looked pale, but her eyes were wide and bright. Donna spotted him first, waving for him to enter as the tears ran unchecked down her cheeks.

He’d barely taken three steps when her eyes locked on his, and what he saw there made his blood freeze in his veins. Nothing. He saw nothing in her gaze. No recognition, no emotion… no love.

The painful squeeze in his chest worsened when she finally spoke. “Who are you?”

Clearing his throat, he shuffled a little closer to her bed. “I’m uh…”

Donna frowned. “Sweetheart, you don’t know who this is?”

Felicity glanced at her mother and gave her a questioning look. “Should I?”

So she clearly recognised her mother, Oliver thought, but not him. Ignoring the worried look that Donna threw him, he sat down in the seat next to her bed. “Felicity, it’s me, Oliver.”

Felicity stared blankly back at him. If he’d thought loving her and letting her go had been painful, it was nothing compared to her looking at him as if he was a stranger.  

He sighed. “Oliver Queen.”

With a puzzled frown, Felicity shook her head. “I’m sorry; I don’t think I know you.”

Oliver knew the Lazarus water had caused this, he also knew that it was probably temporary. The same thing had happened to Thea when she’d woken up. But it didn’t change the fact that it hurt to hear her address him so formally.

He looked up at Donna, a silent question in his eyes. She nodded and stood up. “I’m just going to see if I can find a doctor.”

Oliver’s stomach dropped when a look of panic crossed Felicity’s face. “Mom…”

“It’s okay sweetheart, I’ll be right back.”

Letting go of her hand, Donna left the two of them alone. Oliver didn’t know where to start. How was he supposed to talk to her if she didn’t even know him?

“How are you feeling?” he asked, shaking his head at himself. _Really, Oliver? That’s the best you’ve got?_

Felicity pressed her lips together, watching him with a confused expression. “I feel fine. A little sore but… fine. Though I don’t seem to be able to remember how I got here and my mother doesn’t know either. She said I was in an accident, that I was shot.”

Unsure of how much he should reveal, Oliver nodded. “Yes, we uh… we almost lost you there for a while.”

“How did I get shot? I mean… you would think that I would remember something like that.”

Oliver looked down at his hands, the guilt washing over him yet again. “You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

When he raised his head, he found her watching him closely, studying his face. “You do seem familiar. How exactly do we know each other?”

 _You’re the love of my life,_ he thought. “We’re… friends. Close friends.”

“Why can’t I remember you?” she whispered, her voice almost pained at the notion. “I mean… you seem like you’d be pretty hard to forget. Not that I was looking or anything, I mean, I don’t know if we’re _that_ close. But… I don’t know why, but I _feel_ like I should remember you.”

Oliver’s lips tipped up into a small smile. “It might take some time to come back. The important thing is not to worry, focus on resting and getting your strength back.”

It was a generic answer, giving her no actual information. But he wanted to protect her from remembering exactly what had happened to her for at least a little while longer. It was harder than he’d thought. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms, kiss her and promise that he would never leave her again.

Felicity scoffed. “That was vague. Whatever you’re holding back, you can tell me. I won’t break. I’m strong enough to handle it.”

He wasn’t surprised that she knew he was hiding something. She’d always known. “I know you are. You’re the strongest person I know, Felicity. This isn’t about that.”

“Then what is it?” she asked, her voice still rough from the tubes they’d had to put down her throat.

Taking a deep breath, Oliver placed his hand next to hers on the bed. He wanted to touch her so badly, but he held himself back, not wanting to freak her out too soon.

“It’s my fault that you got hurt.”

“Your fault?” she asked with a frown. “How?”

“I was… in trouble. But you saved me, and as a result, you got hurt.”

She took a moment to digest that, her eyes never leaving his the entire time. “Can I ask you something?”

“You can ask me anything, Felicity.”

“Were we… are we more than just friends?” Before he could answer, she continued. “It’s just… you seem so sad. Like you lost something special to you.”

He closed his eyes, his mind taking him right back to the moment where his world had crashed. When he’d found out she was in a coma and wouldn’t survive.

“Oliver…” She laid her hand over his, and as soon as her skin connected with his, he felt something sizzle between them. Almost like a small electrical current.

Holding her hand between both of his, he couldn’t stop himself from rubbing his thumb across the back of it. A barely audible gasp escaped her, and Oliver saw the shock in her eyes.

“Oliver…” she said again, her tone laced with an emotion he couldn’t quite place. “Oh my God, Oliver.”

Did she… was it possible that she was starting to remember?

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s you.” She whispered, her gaze softening. Tears welled up in her beautiful blue eyes, and his heart started beating faster in his chest.

“You were gone,” she shook her head, a deep frown creasing her forehead. “I remember feeling… devastated. What happened?”

Swallowing thickly, Oliver tried to find his voice. He had to tell her the truth. All of it. “I left to join the League of Assassins.”

He watched her reaction carefully, hope blooming strong at the recognition in her expression. “I became… something that I’m not proud of. When I returned to Starling, you came up with a plan to bring me back.”

Her eyes widened. “Ra’s Al Ghul. He took you! He- oh my God, Thea!”

“Hey,” he reached out to touch her shoulder, rubbing soft circles against her skin to try to calm her. “Thea’s okay, she’s fine now. Do you remember taking care of her? While I was away, you looked after her.”

She pressed her free hand to her temple, her eyes squeezing shut. “I think so. It’s blurry.”

“Felicity… look at me.”

She did, but he could see pain starting to cloud her vision. “We don’t have to do this right now. You should get some rest. You’re still healing.”

He knew he was right when she didn’t argue. He moved out of his chair and perched on the edge of her bed, still holding onto her hand tightly. Reaching out, he caressed her cheek, feeling comforted when she leaned into his touch. “Get some sleep, Felicity. We’ll talk later.”

“Will you still be here when I wake up?”

The vulnerable shake in her voice almost floored him. “I’m not going anywhere, I promise, I’ll be right here.”

* * *

 

“Oliver, wake up.”

Her soft voice stirred him from his slumber, and he opened his eyes to find her sitting up, staring at him. He’d drifted off about an hour ago, listening to the rhythm of her steady breathing.

“Hey,” he said, sitting forward in his chair. “How are you feeling?”

“Better actually. Where did Mom go?”

“She went back to her hotel to get some sleep. She looked exhausted.”

She nodded. “How long was I out?”

“About three hours.”

“Wow. Who would’ve thought that being in a coma would be so tiring?”

She said it with a chuckle but Oliver couldn’t hide his wince, and her face turned serious. “Sorry. Too soon?”

“Way too soon.”

Taking his hand in hers, she stared down at it whilst running her fingers along the lines of his knuckles. It was such a sweet gesture, and it confused him. How much did she remember?

“Felicity-“

“I remember, Oliver.”

Oliver blinked, surprise and excitement washing through his entire body. “Everything?”

“Pretty much. I’m still a little sketchy on certain details.” Her expression turned sad as she let out a little sigh. “I remember seeing you on that monitor, the blank look on your face. I remember confronting you on that rooftop, getting so close and yet you were so far away from me. I didn’t know how to reach you, but I knew that I had to try. I wasn’t going to give up, not after… our night together. I couldn’t lose you again.”

She breathed in deeply, and he saw her try to hide the pain it caused in her chest. “I remember stabbing you with that antidote, and seconds later, I felt the arrow pierce my chest.”

He closed his eyes, unwilling to witness the contempt he might see in hers.

“But even as I lay there bleeding in Digg’s arms, I remember thinking that it was worth it.”

Pulling his hand away, he stood up and crossed over to the windows. Darkness had fallen over Starling, making the city’s lights burn bright in the distance. “How can you say that, Felicity?”

“Because it’s the truth. I needed you back, Oliver. We all did, and it worked.”

“You almost died!” he yelled, whirling around to face her. She sat there with her hands folded neatly in her lap, looking at him with all the patience in the world. “Why aren’t you angry? Why aren’t you blaming me?”

“I think you’ve got that covered enough for the both of us, don’t you?”

“This isn’t funny. I nearly lost you. For over a week I sat here, praying and hoping that you would defy every doctor in here and wake up.”

She scrunched up her nose and held her hands out. “Well, I hate to state the obvious but… I did.”

Crossing back over to the bed, he sat down on the edge and grabbed both of her hands. “I was scared, Felicity. I’ve never felt fear like that in my life.”

She tilted her head and pinned him with that same adorable look she’d given him the first day he’d met her. “Oliver… I’m right here. You didn’t lose me. I didn’t lose you. We’re finally together, here and now, without a League or any mind-altering drugs between us. But if you want me to say that I regret my actions on that roof, then I won’t do it. Because I don’t.”

Oliver pressed his lips together, exhaling loudly through his nose as he stared at her. This woman amazed him in ways he could never explain. She’d risked her life to bring him back, and that told him more than he’d ever needed to know. “I love you so much, Felicity.”

Letting go of his hands, she pulled her bed covers back. “Come here.”

Without hesitation, he stood up, kicked off his shoes, and climbed into the bed next to her, taking great care not to jostle her or any wires that were still connected to her. When he finally settled, leaning back against the headboard, she curled her body towards him, laying her head against his chest.

“I know you think that I took a stupid risk. That I was foolish. But don’t you understand that I couldn’t let you go? I did what I had to do. What I knew you would do if the situation was reversed.”

Gently combing his fingers through her hair, he felt his body start to relax. Finally getting to hold her in his arms made the stress of the past week start to dissipate. “I know.”

“I love you, Oliver. When are you going to let yourself believe that?”

His eyes drifted shut as her words washed over him, soothing something deep inside. “I do, it’s just hard to understand sometimes.”

Turning her head, she rested her chin on his chest and gazed up at him. “Listen to me closely. I am in _love_ with you, Oliver. I always will be.”

Cupping her cheek, he bowed his head and pressed his lips to hers. “Then I promise that I will always try to be worthy of that.”

“You don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?”

For a second, she almost looked angry, before her eyes softened and she reached up to smooth the frown out of his forehead. “It’s not about being worthy; it’s about letting go of the pain in your past. It’s about letting yourself _be_ loved. Everything I said in Nanda Parbat is still true. You are a hero, Oliver. Yes, you might’ve done some bad things along the way…”

She placed her hand over his heart. “But it’s what’s in here that counts. And I knew from the moment I met you that you had a good heart.”

A feeling of love and happiness rushed through his veins. No one had ever had _this_ much faith in him before. He’d done some terrible things, sure, but since the day he’d met Felicity, he’d tried to change. Placing the lightest of kisses on the tip of her nose, Oliver smiled. “You really are remarkable, Felicity.”

As she snuggled a little closer, her face scrunched up in a wince.

“Do you need some more pain meds?” he asked, concerned.

“If you so much as move a muscle, I will find a way to tie you to this bed. And not in a good way. I’m okay, really.”

He wanted to argue that she wasn’t, that despite the Lazarus water, she still had a lot of healing to do. But he kept his mouth shut, and focused on the feeling of having her back in his arms.

“Oliver?” she asked after a long pause.

“Yeah?”

“How exactly did you beat Ra’s?”

He let out a long sigh, tucking his face into her hair. “It’s a long story.”

“But he’s dead, right?”

“Very.”

“Good. I mean… not _good_ but… he was diabolical, and he almost killed Thea and he took you, and-“

Smoothing his hand up and down her arm, he chuckled. “Hey, relax. I know what you meant. I will tell you all about it later.”

* * *

 

One week later, Oliver stood at the kerb outside Felicity’s apartment, trying to look casual as he leaned against the car he’d bought earlier that morning. But inside, he was nervous. He’d hoped, but hadn’t expected her to say yes when he’d asked her to go with him, to discover who he really was underneath.

She hadn’t even hesitated, stating that wherever he was, it was where she wanted to be. He wasn’t sure exactly where they’d end up, but travelling with her, spending time only with her, was all he wanted.  

“Are you really sure you want to do this?” Thea asked, crossing her arms as she and Diggle stood next to him.

“As sure as I was the last five times you asked me.”

“It’s just… I’m going to miss you both.”

Seeing the sadness in his sister’s eyes, Oliver drew her in for a hug. “It’s not forever, Speedy. We’ll come back.”

“Where are you heading?” Diggle asked, his hands shoved into his jeans pockets.

Oliver glanced up at Felicity’s door as it opened and she appeared, a smile as bright as the sun lighting up her face. That was what she was to him, he thought… his sun.

“I don’t know. But when I do, you’ll be the first to know.”

Racing up the steps, he took the bag from her hands and dropped a quick kiss on her cheek.

“I’m perfectly capable of carrying a small bag, Oliver.” She protested, coming to a stop next to Thea as he loaded it into the trunk.

“You’ve only been out of hospital for three days, Felicity. Humour him.” Thea whispered, nudging her playfully.

“I am, but at some point he’s going to have to stop treating me as if I’m made of glass.”

Diggle laughed. “Don’t count on it anytime soon.”

Felicity sighed, looking at Thea and then Diggle. “I’m going to miss you guys so much.”

Diggle leaned down to pull her into a hug. “You just take care of yourself, and let him take care of you too. You both deserve this, Felicity, so enjoy every minute of it.”

“Thanks John. You make sure you give Lyla and Sara a big hug from me.” She sniffled, then turned to Thea and wrapped her arms around her.

“Thank you for taking care of me.” Thea mumbled into her hair. “And for making my brother so happy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile so big on his face before.”

“If you ever need anything, you call me, okay?” Thea nodded, knowing exactly what she was referring to. She still suffered with the effects of the Lazarus Pit, more so than Felicity, but as time went on, the effects lessened. It helped that she had something to occupy her, helping to keep the city safe kept her in check.

“I will, don’t worry about me. I’ve still got Digg and Laurel.”

As if to emphasise the point and lessen her concern, Thea wrapped an arm around Diggle’s waist. He smiled and shook his head as he placed his around her shoulders. “We’ll be just fine, Felicity. You focus on you two.”

“We will.” Oliver replied, snaking an arm around her waist. He looked down at her, and she couldn’t help but smile at the sheer happiness radiating from him. “You ready to go?”

Glancing back at her friends, she swiped away a tear or two. Yes, she would miss them. But a new chapter was about to start, and she couldn’t wait.

“Yeah, I’m ready.”

_**The End** _


End file.
